Grand Council Treaty #3 partners with Shooniyaa Wa-Biitong Launch Youth Strategy

December 4, 2019

Kenora, ON — Grand Council Treaty #3 and its Territorial Planning Unit in partnership with Shooniyaa Wa-Biitong launched the Climate Adaptation Youth Strategy Development Project this week which will give youth an opportunity to discover how their climate is changing in their territory.

This project will involve 36 Youth, Coordinators, Elders, and community members from Treaty #3. Participating communities include Naotkamegwanning, Onigaming, and Asubpeeschoseewagong. The youth participants are between the ages of 13-19, with the Youth Coordinators between the ages of 19-29.

“It is incredibly important that our youth in the Treaty #3 territory are able to fully participate in the fight against climate change,” said Ogichidaa Francis Kavanaugh, Grand Chief of Treaty #3. “Youth are increasingly concerned about their future and it is critical that they become meaningfully involved to participate in the discussion and bring their own knowledge and skills to bear in building a stronger, more resilient Anishinaabe Nation in Treaty #3.”

Marie Seymour, Executive Director of Shooniyaa Wa-Biitong is pleased to be a partner in the project. “Youth will receive valuable learning experiences through the project and exposure to careers in the field as well as acquiring project planning and employment related skills that will benefit them in future jobs.”

Youth will work together to discover how their local climate has been changing in the Treaty #3 territory. Communities have been affected in various ways that include flooding, algae blooms, decrease in biodiversity, changes in plant species, mold issues, increase of blastomycosis, access to traditional food sources such as berries or wild rice, and traditional medicines.

The participants will focus on methods of decreasing greenhouse gases emitted from communities in the focus areas of transportation, energy and waste diversion. In adaptation, the youth will develop their strategy to provide awareness to their local community members and identify how much of their population may be more vulnerable. A part of their adaptation strategy will also include an emergency preparedness plan, taking into account current resources in the community. These emergency action plans will address the need for preparedness in the event of natural disasters.

The participants will receive incredible exposure that will enhance the currently existing “Teaching our Keepers” Climate Education program. The participants will meet every week to discuss climate change and learn skills in water and climate monitoring, forest fire mitigation and invasive species.

The youth participants will have the opportunity to present their draft strategies during our Climate Change Forum on January 28, 29, 2020 at Seven Generations Education Institute in Kenora, ON to an audience of their peers and climate change experts.

The Territorial Planning Unit staff would like to formally welcome our Youth Coordinators to the program, Desirae Paypompee (Naotkamegwanning), Kayla Morrison (Onigaming), and Lena Ellis (Asubpeeschoseewagong) and the many Elders that have offered their support in joining the youth during this process.

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For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact: Office of the Ogichidaa, Daniel Morriseau, Political Advisor at (807) 464.2647 or Daniel.Morriseau@treaty3.ca

NT5